Special Olympics Te Awamutu
Three Cambridge horse riders at Riding for the Disabled have swapped helmets and boots for three different sports at the Special Olympics National Summers Games in Christchurch.
Corban George-Potterton centre, competing at the Special Olympics National Summer Games in Hamilton in 2022
The 11th edition of the four-yearly pinnacle event for athletes with intellectual disabilities began yesterday and runs through to Sunday.
Among the 12 swimmers competing in Christchurch for the Te Awamutu club – one of 42 around the country – is 21-year-old Cambridge based Keziah Clark, the club’s youngest competitor at nationals.
“I’m excited and a little nervous,” she says. “I enjoy the extra Saturday training and I also train twice a week in Cambridge, mastering diving and tumble turns.”
Shelley Blair, Head of Delegation for the Te Awamutu club describes Keziah as “always giving something new a go with 100 per cent enthusiasm”.
Her dedication has earned her a spot on stage at the opening ceremony carrying the Te Awamutu banner with 1200 other athletes watching.
Courtney Duncan, Waikato’s sole powerlifter is described as a true powerhouse. Courtney, 31, lives with Down Syndrome. She also rides horses, races in track cycling, and has been setting personal records in powerlifting over the past few years.
Coach Bryce Johnsen says she show “what’s possible when you combine hard work with a love for sport”.
A third Cambridge RDA rider heading south is 25-year old Corban George-Potterton, a previous Waikato basketball competitor at the 2022 Hamilton Games.
He says horse riding has helped with his balance on the basketball court – albeit on his own two feet rather than on the four legs of his horse Leo.
Special Olympics Waikato athlete Courtney Duncan, powerlifting her way to a medal at the 2022 National Summer Games in Hamilton.
Keziah Clark is Special Olympics Te Awamutu’s youngest athlete in Christchurch
